A laparoscopic procedure is typically performed by passing surgical instruments down a cannula so that a distal working end of the surgical instrument can be positioned within the surgical site, while operated from a proximal manipulator of the surgical instrument. In certain surgical procedures, such as hysterectomies, fibroidectomies, myomectomies, and the like, laparoscopic morcellation is performed. In these procedures, for example, an endo knife may be used to remove a uterus, uterine fibroids (known as leiomyomas), and/or other tissue through a small abdominal incision.
Generally, removal of large amounts of tissue through abdominal incisions during laparoscopic surgeries may be achieved by feeding the tissue into a moving cutting tool, such as a morcellator, operating within the body cavity. For example, the endo knife may cut the uterus into long lengths of tissue, which are then morcellated and subsequently pulled out of the body cavity through the vaginal path. However, because these surgical instruments must be manually moved over the tissue during cutting, the procedure may be relatively time consuming and reliant on surgeon technique. Further, due to their proximity to other delicate structures in the abdomen, surgeons may have difficulty navigating the surrounding tissue. Thus, although morcellation and use of the endo knife are effective, they may be improved.